Port Orchard Officials Ask of Library Levy: "What's in it For Us?"

Port Orchard Mayor Lary Coppola blasted Kitsap Regional Library officials Tuesday for a “huge inequity” in how the library board proposes to allocate its capital resources over the next 10 years.

Sue Whitford, KRL’s director of technology and facilities, said new library buildings planned for Silverdale and Kingston — if a proposed levy lid lift passes — would enhance the library’s overall collection and benefit patrons throughout the county.

The exchange was part of a city council discussion on whether Port Orchard, which now contracts for KRL’s services, should officially become part of the Kitsap County Rural Library District. The council on April 27 will consider an ordinance to put the measure on the Aug. 17 ballot.

Councilman Rob Putaansuu, who proposed the annexation measure, said joining the library district would give city residents a say on the levy lid lift the library board will put before voters in November. Under the current proposal, approval of the measure would increase the levy rate 12.5 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value.

Without a levy increase, the estimated 2011 rate per $1,000 is 34 cents.

The proposed levy increase would generate an additional $33 million over the next decade. The 10-year plan for spending the additional revenue calls for $14.6 million dedicated to operations and $18.4 million to capital improvements.

On the operations side, the new revenue would allow KRL to add back hours that have been cut at each library, increase its collection of books and other materials, enhance technology and address deferred maintenance.

On the capital side, earlier projections showed $7.75 million going toward a new Silverdale library branch. Another $1 million for the Silverdale library would come from community donations.

Library number crunchers are revising those estimates in light of new information about costs KRL would have to pay on the building, which will be part of the Silverdale Community Campus. The additional costs are KRL’s share of parking and roadway improvements in the campus area.

Silverdale was slated for a new library because the current building in Old Town Silverdale was deemed too small. Because the current building is owned by KRL, it is the library district’s responsibility to replace it, spokesman Jeff Brody said.

Replacement of Kingston’s library, which is in severe disrepair, also rose to the top of the board’s capital projects triage list, Brody said. The building is owned by Kitsap County, which could not keep up maintenance due to revenue shortfalls.

County taxpayers are essentially the same population as library district taxpayers, so including the project in the ballot measure was deemed equitable, Brody said. Preliminary estimates put the cost of the new Kingston library at $3.4 million, with an additional contribution of $350,000 coming from private fund-raising.

The remainder of the levy revenue earmarked for capital projects would be split among the other branches. Larger branches — including Port Orchard, Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island and Bremerton’s Sylvan Way branch — would each get up to $750,000 over the next 10 years, with up to $500,000 available in the first five years after the levy passes. Smaller branches — including downtown Bremerton, Manchester and Little Boston — would get $400,000 each, with $200,000 available in the first five years.

Port Orchard’s library would be eligible for the capital distribution regardless of whether the annexation passes or fails.

“We pay the same amount of money they (Silverdale and Kingston residents) pay and we’re getting nothing, or comparatively nothing,” he said.

Coppola wasn’t alone in his views. Councilmen John Clauson and Fred Chang both said it seemed like communities with new libraries would be getting a sweet deal on the backs of taxpayers throughout the county.

Brody reiterated Whitford’s observation that the new, larger facilities would create more room for books, CDs and other materials available to all Kitsap patrons. Port Orchard residents will have equal access to the collection regardless of whether they annex into the district.

Brody said the Port Orchard officials’ comments made him realize KRL will have to emphasize the library system as a whole if its levy campaign is to succeed.

“Our message is going to have to be, ‘There’s something in this for your community,’” Brody said.